German tourists can now obtain a map of Sicily’s capital Palermo flagging the shops that refuse to pay extortion money to the Mafia, the German embassy in Rome said in a statement.
“The Addiopizzo tourist map signals all the shops in Palermo that ... have pledged not to pay racketeering fees,” the statement said.
The Sicilian mafia, the Cosa Nostra, extorts money from many businesses on the island, notably in Palermo.
Ambassador Michael Steiner decided to finance the German-language map because “Germans are the largest tourist contingent in Sicily, both in terms of numbers and spending,” the embassy said.
The map is geared towards “two groups who have common interests: the people of Palermo who love their city, and German tourists who love Palermo and do not want to support racketeering,” the statement said.
The map was inspired by the Addiopizzo (Goodbye Extortion) organization, which calls itself an “open movement” made up of “shopkeepers and consumers who recognize themselves in the phrase ‘People who pay extortion money are people without dignity’.”
The phrase first appeared in June 2004 on stickers in the streets of central Palermo and is credited with launching the Addiopizzo movement, which today counts among its supporters hundreds of entrepreneurs and shopkeepers who have publicly made a stand against racketeering.
The first print run of the map, which will be available through German tour operators in Italy, totalled 10,000 copies, the embassy told AFP.
(AFP)
德國駐羅馬大使館發佈一份聲明表示，德國觀光客現在可以拿到一份西西里島首府巴勒摩的地圖，這地圖上標示著拒付保護費給黑手黨的店家位置。
該聲明指出：「這份拒繳保護費的觀光地圖上，標示了巴勒摩所有…誓言不支付保護費的店家」。
西西里島的黑手黨組織「我們的事業」（Cosa Nostra）向島上許多商家勒索金錢，這種現象在巴勒摩尤其明顯。
大使麥克．史丹納決定出資贊助這本德語地圖，因為「無論在人數或消費金額上，德國人都是西西里島最主要的觀光族群。」
聲明中指出，這份地圖旨在「結合兩群體的共同利益：熱愛家鄉的巴勒摩居民，和熱愛巴勒摩又不想助長黑手黨勒索的德國觀光客。」
出版該地圖的構想源自於「反保護費」（Addiopizzo）組織，該組織是由一群認為「繳保護費是沒有尊嚴的行為」的店家和消費者組成的「開放運動」。
二ＯＯ四年六月，巴勒摩市中心街上開始出現寫著該標語的貼紙，並進而促成「反保護費運動」，該運動迄今已獲得上百位企業家和店主的公開支持，聯合抵抗黑手黨的勒索。
該大使對法新社表示，該地圖首刷共印一萬份，遊客將可透過在義大利的德國旅行社索取。
（法新社╱翻譯：袁星塵）
When you think of the Netherlands, images of tulips, windmills, and iconic wooden shoes — known as “Dutch clogs” — may come to mind. These traditional shoes are rich in cultural significance. For centuries, Dutch clogs have been admired for their sturdy design and impressive craftsmanship, making them a fascinating symbol of Dutch heritage. Dutch clogs date back to the Middle Ages. During that time, farmers and laborers needed durable shoes to cope with the region’s damp and unpredictable climate and topography. Crafted from solid wood, such as willow or poplar, clogs offered outstanding protection. Their firm structure kept
Bilingual Story is a fictionalized account. 雙語故事部分內容純屬虛構。 “One DA-BEI... WU LONG... NAI?” Yujing smiled as the foreigner struggled to order. He looked like an embarrassed puppy. She repeated the order in Chinese, then English: “Oolong milk tea, large size. Half sweet, no ice?” she said gently. He beamed — the kind of full-face, sunshine smile that Latinos are famous for. “Yes! That! You are... lo maximo… the best!” After he left, Lily nudged her. “Nice save. You’re getting the hang of it.” Yujing had taken this summer job at the bubble tea shop to build confidence and get work
A: The news says comic superstar Snoopy’s birthday is coming soon on Aug. 10. B: So he’s a Leo, and his birthday will fall on this Sunday. A: Cartoonist Charles Schulz created the comic strip Peanuts, featuring Snoopy, in 1950. And this year marks the character’s 75th anniversary. B: No wonder there are some big celebrations in Japan, Hong Kong and elsewhere. How about Taiwan? A: The “How Do You Do, Snoopy?” exhibition is taking place in Taipei. Let’s go to Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store’s A11 branch to see the show. A: 新聞說，卡通巨星史努比的生日是8月10日耶。 B: 原來史努比是獅子座，本週日就是他的生日。 A: 漫畫家查爾斯舒茲1950年在《花生》漫畫創造了該角色，今年正好歡慶75週年！ B:
Although sending you an SMS (Short Message Service) verification code provides some security, many apps now use code-generating apps and two-factor authentication instead. But more recently, passkeys now use a biometric approach to logging in. Biometrics can offer an even more secure alternative. Following this trend, Google is reportedly planning to replace SMS verification codes with “QR code” scanning. SMS codes are currently used to verify user identity and prevent fraudsters from creating fake Gmail accounts to distribute spam. However, these codes present several challenges. They can be phished through suspicious links, and users may not always have access
RSS